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Exhaling
Artoffact, 2021
10/10
If you’re like me, when you think of punk bands living in Winnipeg, Propagandhi immediately come to mind. Well, after a single spin of Exhaling, the trio that are Tunic are going to leave a mark similar to their fellow Winnipegians, as David Schellenberg, Rory Ellis and Dan Unger take nods to legends like Quicksand, Converge and even the timeless melody of Merge Records.
The title track leads the album with a bristling mix of noise and melody as dissonance, pounding drums and yelping vocals collide in a very exciting intersection, and this approach continues to the firm and jagged “Invalid”, where bouts of fury hint to the mid ‘90s, as well as the visceral, buzzing and throaty “Will Know”.
There’s 23 tracks here, but most don’t exceed 2 minutes, so it’s a constant rotation of hard hitting sounds. Closer to the middle, the frantic, screechy “Radius” has Gravity Records screamo written all over it, while “Mumbled” wouldn’t be out of place during the Revolution Summer of 1985 with its raw Dischord like mood. “Nothing Nothing” then throbs with chunky bass lines as the yelped vocals flow alongside strategic feedback.
Closer to the end, “Empty Handed” moves at a calmer pace but is still thick and drenched in sonic noise amid barked vocals, and “Frontal Lobe” exits the listen with abrasive post-punk nostalgia that leaves the hardcore inclined wanting more.
A listen that’s abrasive, cathartic, and full of beautiful racket, play Tunic in between Botch and The Judas Factor and embrace the intensity and release, as Exhaling is an amazing record.
Travels well with: Seized Up- Brace Yourself; Jet Black- L'Ere du Vide